Ornithogalum plant named ‘Chesapeake Blaze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ornithogalum plant named ‘Chesapeake Blaze’ characterized by its strong, upright, and long scapes; dense corymbose racemes with numerous soft orange-colored flowers; and glossy dark green leaves.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Ornithogalum plant, botanically known as Ornithogalum hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Chesapeake Blaze’.

The new Ornithogalum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Beltsville, Md. and Escondido, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was to create newly freely-flowering interspecific Ornithogalum hybrids with unique and desirable flower colors.

The new Ornithogalum originated from a cross made by the Inventors of the Ornithogalum hybrida cultivar Kewensis (Ornithogalum thyrsoides×O. dubium), not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent with the Ornithogalum hybrida cultivar Chesapeake Sunset (Ornithogalum dubium×O. multifolium), U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,317, as the female, or seed, parent. The cultivar Chesapeake Blaze was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Beltsville, Md. in 1994.

Asexual reproduction of the new Ornithogalum by tissue culture in a controlled environment in a laboratory in Beltsville, Md., has shown that the unique features of this new Ornithogalum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Chesapeake Blaze’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, and water or nutritional status without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Chesapeake Blaze’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Chesapeake Blaze’ as a new and distinct Ornithogalum:

1. Strong, upright and long scapes.

2. Dense corymbose racemes with numerous soft orange- colored flowers.

3. Glossy dark green leaves.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Beltsville, Md., plants of the new Ornithogalum differ from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Chesapeake Sunset, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have longer leaves than plants of the cultivar Chesapeake Sunset.

2. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have longer scapes than plants of the cultivar Chesapeake Sunset.

3. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have a denser (less open) flower display than plants of the cultivar Chesapeake Sunset.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Beltsville, Md., plants of the new Ornithogalum differ from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Kewensis, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Ornithogalum are more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Kewensis.

2. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have shorter scapes than plants of the cultivar Kewensis.

3. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have a denser (less open) flower display than plants of the cultivar Kewensis.

4. Plants of the new Ornithogalum have soft orange-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Kewensis have cream-colored flowers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Ornithogalum, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the phtographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Ornithogalum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Chesapeake Blaze’.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering inflorescence of ‘Chesapeake Blaze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Beltsville, Md., under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18 to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13 to 21° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Plants used for the description and photograph were grown in 12.5-cm containers for about 20 to 25 weeks after planting rooted tissue-cultured plantlets in the fall.

Botanical classification: Ornithogalum hybrida cultivar Chesapeake Blaze.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Ornithogalum hybrida cultivar Kewensis Ornithogalum thyrsoides×O. dubium), not patented.

Female parent.—Ornithogalum hybrida cultivar Chesapeake Sunset (Ornithogalum dubium×O. multifolium), U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/765,317.

Propagation:

Type.—Tissue culture.

Time to initiate roots from tissue-cultured micro-cuttings.—About 10 days at 24° C.

Root description.—Quantity: About 20 to 30 primary roots arising from bulb. Diameter: About 8 to 10 cm. Color: 159C.

Bulb description.—Appearance: Tunicate. Diameter: About 3.5 cm. Circumference: About 9 to 10 cm. Color: 161B.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright flowering potted plant; inverted triangle. Leaves basal with central flowering stem. Flowers arranged in dense corymbose racemes.

Crop time.—Usually about 20 to 25 weeks are required to produce finished flowering plants in 12.5-cm containers from rooted tissue-culture plantlets.

Plant height.—About 18 to 20 cm.

Plant width.—About 40 to 45 cm.

Leaves.—Arramgement: Simple; basal; rosette; sessile. Quantity of leaves per plant: About 4 to 6. Length: About 18 to 20 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Linear. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: Young leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. Mature leaves, upper and lower surfaces: 137A, glossy; venation, 137A. Leaf sheath: Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Color: 155B.

Flower description:

Flowering habit.—Inflorescences scapose with single flowers, 3-merous, arranged in dense corymbose racemes. Flowers not fragrant; flowers persistent.

Natural flowering season.—Plants flower during the spring. Flower longevity on the plant: About one month.

Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About 3 to 4 weeks.

Inflorescence size.—Length: About 18 cm. Width: About 6 cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 8 to 10 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 137A.

Flowers.—Quantity of flowers and flower buds per plant: About 35 to 40 per flowering stem; each bulb produces about 1 to 3 flowering stems. Shape: Circular. Diameter: About 5 cm. Depth (height): About 1.5 cm.

Perianth.—Quantity/arrangement: Three petals and three sepals per flower; imbricate; separate. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Pyriform. Apex: Slightly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, waxy. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: 24 A. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Apex and center, 24A; base, 152A; glossy.

Scape.—Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Length: About 15 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 137A.

Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 3 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 137A.

Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Single, subtending the perianth. Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Cymbiformis. Color: 137A.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six. Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 3 to 5 mm. Anther color: 14B. Amount of pollen: Abundant. Pollen color: 14B. Pistils: Quantity: One. Length: About 6 to 8 mm. Stigma shape: Tri-sulcate. Stigma color: 166C. Style length: About 3 to 4 mm. Style color: 166C. Ovary color: 147A.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Ornithogalums has not been determined. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ornithogalum plant named ‘Chesapeake Blaze’, as illustrated and described. 